Zelenskiy Pressures U.S. for Expanded Strikes Amid Intense Conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is urging the United States to permit Kyiv to strike deeper into Russian territory. While the U.S. has given Ukraine over $50 billion in military aid since 2022, it restricts use to defensive operations. Talks highlighted Ukraine's need for long-range capabilities to counter Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has increased pressure on the United States to allow Kyiv to strike deeper into Russian territory. This follows a series of meetings between Ukrainian representatives and senior U.S. officials in Washington on Saturday.

While Washington has supplied Ukraine with over $50 billion in military aid since 2022, this aid is restricted to use on Ukrainian soil and for defensive cross-border operations. In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy emphasized the necessity of clearing the Ukrainian sky of Russian guided aerial bombs to force Russia toward seeking an end to the war and a just peace.

Appealing to the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, he stressed the need for capabilities to protect Ukraine fully. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, part of the Washington delegation, highlighted in a CNN interview the necessity of long-range capabilities to counteract Russian airfields striking Ukrainian cities.

(With inputs from agencies.)